Scaphella junonia
Encyclopedia
Scaphella junonia, common name
the "junonia," is a species
of large sea snail
, a marine
gastropod mollusk in the family Volutidae
, the volutes.
This species lives in deep water in the tropical Western Atlantic. Because of its deepwater habitat, the shell
is usually only found washed up onto beaches after strong thunderstorm
s, or hurricanes.
The shell was historically greatly prized for its beauty and apparent rarity.
If you find a junonia while shelling on Sanibel Island
, Florida
, you can get your picture in the local newspapers. This rare shell is considered the ultimate "find" by shellers on Sanibel. Sanibel Island is reputed to have the best shelling in North America, due to its east-west orientation which acts as a "net," literally "catching" shells from the prevailing Gulf currents. While its beaches are covered in shells, however, the junonia remains incredibly difficult to find and is greatly prized. You can purchase it in local shell shops, or see it on display in the island's Bailey-Matthews Shell Museum, in some of the glass display tables at the Sanibel Cafe, or at the Sanibel Shell Fair in early March.
The species is named after the ancient Roman goddess Juno
.
to Texas
and the Gulf of Mexico
.
of Scaphella junonia is usually about 3 to 5 inches long. Maximum recorded shell size is 126 mm. The shell is cream in color with about 12 spiral rows of somewhat squarish brown dots. The large protoconch
is tan. The aperture
of the shell is almost 3/4 of the length of the shell.
Common name
A common name of a taxon or organism is a name in general use within a community; it is often contrasted with the scientific name for the same organism...
the "junonia," is a species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
of large sea snail
Snail
Snail is a common name applied to most of the members of the molluscan class Gastropoda that have coiled shells in the adult stage. When the word is used in its most general sense, it includes sea snails, land snails and freshwater snails. The word snail without any qualifier is however more often...
, a marine
Marine (ocean)
Marine is an umbrella term. As an adjective it is usually applicable to things relating to the sea or ocean, such as marine biology, marine ecology and marine geology...
gastropod mollusk in the family Volutidae
Volutidae
Volutidae, common name volutes, are a taxonomic family of predatory sea snails that range in size from 9 mm to over 500 mm, marine gastropod mollusks...
, the volutes.
This species lives in deep water in the tropical Western Atlantic. Because of its deepwater habitat, the shell
Gastropod shell
The gastropod shell is a shell which is part of the body of a gastropod or snail, one kind of mollusc. The gastropod shell is an external skeleton or exoskeleton, which serves not only for muscle attachment, but also for protection from predators and from mechanical damage...
is usually only found washed up onto beaches after strong thunderstorm
Thunderstorm
A thunderstorm, also known as an electrical storm, a lightning storm, thundershower or simply a storm is a form of weather characterized by the presence of lightning and its acoustic effect on the Earth's atmosphere known as thunder. The meteorologically assigned cloud type associated with the...
s, or hurricanes.
The shell was historically greatly prized for its beauty and apparent rarity.
If you find a junonia while shelling on Sanibel Island
Sanibel Island
Sanibel Island is an island located on the Gulf coast of Florida, just offshore of Fort Myers. In 2000, it had an estimated population of 6,064 people...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, you can get your picture in the local newspapers. This rare shell is considered the ultimate "find" by shellers on Sanibel. Sanibel Island is reputed to have the best shelling in North America, due to its east-west orientation which acts as a "net," literally "catching" shells from the prevailing Gulf currents. While its beaches are covered in shells, however, the junonia remains incredibly difficult to find and is greatly prized. You can purchase it in local shell shops, or see it on display in the island's Bailey-Matthews Shell Museum, in some of the glass display tables at the Sanibel Cafe, or at the Sanibel Shell Fair in early March.
The species is named after the ancient Roman goddess Juno
Juno (mythology)
Juno is an ancient Roman goddess, the protector and special counselor of the state. She is a daughter of Saturn and sister of the chief god Jupiter and the mother of Mars and Vulcan. Juno also looked after the women of Rome. Her Greek equivalent is Hera...
.
Distribution
Scaphella junonia is found throughout FloridaFlorida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
to Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
and the Gulf of Mexico
Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico is a partially landlocked ocean basin largely surrounded by the North American continent and the island of Cuba. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States, on the southwest and south by Mexico, and on the southeast by Cuba. In...
.
- A subspecies Scaphella junonia johnstoneae is found off of AlabamaAlabamaAlabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
and is the state shell of that state.
- Another subspecies Scaphella junonia butleri is found off of the YucatanYucatánYucatán officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Yucatán is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 106 municipalities and its capital city is Mérida....
.
Shell description
The shellGastropod shell
The gastropod shell is a shell which is part of the body of a gastropod or snail, one kind of mollusc. The gastropod shell is an external skeleton or exoskeleton, which serves not only for muscle attachment, but also for protection from predators and from mechanical damage...
of Scaphella junonia is usually about 3 to 5 inches long. Maximum recorded shell size is 126 mm. The shell is cream in color with about 12 spiral rows of somewhat squarish brown dots. The large protoconch
Protoconch
A protoconch is an embryonic or larval shell of some classes of molluscs, e.g., the initial chamber of an ammonite or the larval shell of a gastropod...
is tan. The aperture
Aperture (mollusc)
The aperture is an opening in certain kinds of mollusc shells: it is the main opening of the shell, where part of the body of the animal emerges for locomotion, feeding, etc....
of the shell is almost 3/4 of the length of the shell.